Mark Robins has reflected positively after his side picked up up a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light.
“From our point of view, it’s a good point,” the manager began.
“If you take into consideration today’s game, Sunderland are 17 games unbeaten at home, it’s a tough place to come.
“We tried to break into the game to bring our quality, but we didn’t do that often enough. There were too many turnovers of the ball to try and kill any momentum and the noise.
“When they get their voices going, it’s very loud and very noisy and you need calm heads. Too often we gave the ball away too easily, they were positioned well to try and nullify us, but they’ve been working on that for a while.
“Sunderland are finding their own feet at this level, having been away for four years. Whilst that’s the case, they’re a really good talented group of player and the forward players and the lads they can bring on are all talented lads and some of the best in the division.”
Trailing at the break, Robins was swift to use four of the five substitutes at his disposal, latterly with a bold triple change.
Robins spoke on the switch in gameplan which led to the equalising goal and, ultimately, the moment of brilliant from Viktor Gyokeres to seal a point on the road.
“We weren’t good enough in the first half,” Robins continued.
“You’ve got to try and do something different to try and counter that which we did and we grew into the game, certainly in the second part of the second half.
“Once the changes were made we looked a little bit more like we were going to score which then came with a really decent move, a really brilliant move actually.
“In terms of what we did there wasn’t enough clear-cut chances for us and I think that we gave them too many sniffs at goal.
“I remember a few crosses from Dabo, a few from Bidwell, but you’re just looking for a striker to get across the goalkeeper, which isn good enough; but like I say, Viktor gets on the end of something and finds a shot and a chance to score
“Great start for him, gives him confidence and he’s like a bull at the moment because he wants to score goals and he’s managed to get one today."